Gravel or sand dredge.



= PATENTED MAY 12,1903.

B.. HosPoRD.

GRVBL 0R SAND DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 9, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

`m l N N .a stream or body of water; Fig. 2, atop or UNITED STAtras` Patented May 12, 1903.

REZIN HOSFQRD, OF LEBANON, INDIANA.

GRAVE-L OR SAND DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofetters -Patent No. 727,632, dated May 1,2, 1903.

Application iiled March 9, 1903. l

To a/ZZ whom) it may concern.'

Be it known thatI, REZIN HosFoRD,fa citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the countyof Boone and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravel 'or Sand Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

As is well known, the most desirable gravel for streetwork, cement walks, and such like uses is obtained from the bottoms of streams or rivers.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a means by which gravel and sand can be easily, rapidly, and inexpensively taken from gravel-beds located in or under water.

An apparatus illustrating said invention will be first fully described, and the novel-` features thereof then pointed out in the' claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure l is a side elevation of such an apparatus as the same appears in use intaking gravel from a gravel-bed at the bottom of plan View of a fragment of the conveyer and dredge on'an enlarged scale; 3, a central sectional view ofV thesame, and Fig. fla detail sectional view through the wheel over which the. dredgeV andV conveyer" runs at the end of the apparatus opposite that to which the power is applied; p

In constructing this apparatus I provide two suitable frames 2l and 20`upon opposite banks of the pit from which the gravel or sand is to be taken and Vmount upon one a driving-wheel 22, by which the dredge and conveyer is to be propelled, and upon the other an idlerwheel 23 of peculiar form over which said dredge and conveyer runs. Upon the same shaft as the Wheel 22 I mount another wheel or pulley 24E, Which-is driven by means of a belt, rope," or 'chain from some suitable'source of power. (Not shown.)

The dredge and conveyer proper, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, consists of a chain composed of U-shaped links 25 and 26, pivotally connected together by suitable rivets 27. Thelinks 25 are chain-links simply. The links 26 are substantially triangular Vin form senti Nu. 146,968. (No maar and constitute also the buckets for the dredge and conveyer, by means of which the sand or gravel is taken from the bottomv of the pit or gravel-bed` and drawn up onto the bank and there deposited to be hauled away. As indicated inFig. 1, the power is applied at that end of ,the structure which is on the bank opposite from that where the material is to be deposited, and the direction of motion is such that the pull is upon the upper or idle strand ofthe dredge and conveyer, so that the lower or operative portion thereof contains the f slack, and thus bags down and drags on the bottom of the bed or pit being excavated, and the links orbuckets 26 engage with the material and drawit out in the manner indicated by the drawings.

It sometimes happens in the use of such apparatus as this that the dredge Will cut a comparatively deep channel, and the banks in such cases are likely tocave in, thus stoping the operation of the dredge. In such cases it is only necessary to reverse vthe motion of the engine or driving mechanism, Whenthe dredge-chain will be easily drawn to the sur= face as the open links permit the gravel and sand (as the chain is tightened up) to slip down through without much resistance, the shape being especially adapted to this result, as will be readily seen. The wheel 23, over whichpthe dredge and conveyer runs, is of a peculiar form. yCen-y trally around its periphery is an annular rib or flange 3l, which serves to support the links fatthe pivot-points, while the shoulders on each side of said rib support them at the centers,'thus furnishing a good support for the dredgeor conveyer in its work. Guard-arms 32 are secured to the sides of ,this wheel and prevent the dredge and conveyer chain from accidental displacex'n'ent.

Having'thus fully described my-saidinlvention, what I claim as new,'anddesire tose; cure by Letters Patent, is'-' l. The combination of two suitablefrauies, a driving-wheel mounted on one," an" idle wheel mountedon the. other, and a dredge and conveyer structure composed of the open links 25 and 26 mounted thereon, said links 26 being wider than the links 25 at one end andl having inclined cross members whereby they are enabled to act as buckets in the ICO idle wheel mounted on the other of said frames, and an endless gravel dredge and conveyer running around said Wheels said idle wheelhavinga central annular rib and guard members, substantially as shown and described.

In Witness whereofl have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 6th day of March, A. D. 1903.

REZIN HOSFORD.

Vitnesses:

ARTHUR M. Hoon, JAMES A. WALSH. 

